The Wild True Crime Story Behind New Series ‘Godfather Of Harlem’

Calling all fans of a good drama with a hint of true-crime flavour: Your next TV obsession has arrived and it’s got everything you’re after from real yarns to top-notch actors to nail-biting crime drama.

Inspired by true events, Godfather of Harlem stars Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker as Bumpy Johnson, an infamous crime boss who returns home after a decade in the slammer to find a very different 1960s Harlem.

With his beloved neighbourhood now overrun by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control by any means necessary.

No idea who Bumpy Johnson is? Don’t worry, we got you covered with all the pertinent info to assist you as you dive into the first ep of Godfather of Harlem, now streaming on Stan.

The 10-part series tells the story of Bumpy Johnson, once dubbed the most dangerous gangster in New York. For more than 30 years, Bumpy Johnson ruled over Harlem as one of New York City’s most feared crime bosses.

Heck, his own wife (played by Billions star Ilfenesh Hadera) even called him the ‘Harlem Godfather’, which obviously stuck and became his moniker.

One of the most intriguing real-life historical points played out in the series is Johnson’s relationship with convicted criminal-turned-preacher Malcolm X, as the two join forces to combat the mob turf war that kicks off when he returns from prison.

Malcolm X is played by Nigél Thatch who also portrayed the controversial activist in the Ava DuVernay film Selma.

The pair work together to drive rival mob boss Mafioso Vincent “Chin” Gigante (Law & Order’s Vincent D’Onofrio) out of town because, as Malcolm tells Johnson in the first ep, “You have guns, but I have an army.”

The series also stars Aussie Lucy Fry (Wolf Creek)

But as you’ll see as you become acquainted with his on-screen adaptation, Johnson wasn’t just another violent mobster like others who ruled alongside him at the time. Johnson was a gentleman with a heart who was always quick to lend a helping hand to the people of Harlem and was often compared to Robin Hood.

He delivered gifts and meals to the Harlem community, even supplying turkey dinners on Thanksgiving and hosting an annual Christmas party.

He was also something of a mentor to many local kids, including a bloke by the name of Frank Lucas who ultimately became his right-hand man.

Lucas worked alongside Bumpy Johnson for years and went on to become another notorious criminal, thanks to Johnson’s training.

Their partnership foreshadowed the 2007 American neo-noir flick American Gangster which begins with Bumpy (played by Clarence Williams III) dying of a heart attack in 1968 and Frank (played by Denzel Washington) taking over the streets of Harlem in his absence.

Yep, even to this day Johnson remains one of the most renowned figures in organised crime.

Interestingly, various cast members and writers have revealed that they visited the remaining living people connected to the now-deceased Johnson in order to properly tell his story.

Whitaker recently recounted visiting Johnson’s former bodyguard in a nursing home in preparation for the role.

“Bumpy’s bodyguard told me he was a unique type of gangster, somebody willing to get his hands dirty. He would get out of his car and engage in an actual gun battle,” Whitaker told TV Insider.

“He was ruthless — he killed people — but also sensitive, especially with his [drug addict] daughter.”

While one of Johnson’s main motivators is regaining control of the Harlem streets from Gigante’s Genovese crime family, he’s also learning of the changing political landscape, which includes the rise of his associates Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (Better Call Saul’s Giancarlo Esposito).

“The combination of looking at the criminal world and the intersection with the civil rights movement and the politics of the day is really interesting,” Whitaker previously told Entertainment Weekly.

“Bumpy’s starting to understand those things and how to stake claim to what he thinks are his rights to survive.”

This kicks off a string of wild events from brawls to massacres to radical social change and while I’d love to go further into detail about this pivotal moment in history, any more info would be a huge ass spoiler.

But now that you know the key players and what to expect, be sure to head over to Stan to see the first part of this journey.

Catch the epic trailer below:

More Stuff From PEDESTRIAN.TV